Looking for new music? DJs at student-run radio station WVAU share their thoughts on a range of recent releases.
Click here to read past Audiophiles.
Real Estate
Days
One of the main complaints lodged against Real Estate after the success of their self-titled debut album was their lackluster live show. And on their second album “Days,” the band reminds us why.
The shimmering guitars, reverb-infused hooks and steady percussion make up the perfect soundtrack to suburban life, intended for sub-par car stereos and backyard barbecues, as opposed to stages in dark clubs. “Days” captures the subtle melancholy of summertime in the suburbs, with wistful lyrics, slowly spiraling riffs and nostalgic production that feel like a Polaroid photograph or a roll of Super 8 film. To some, the record may be a pleasant, inoffensive one-time affair. But while these songs may seem unremarkable, the timeless melodies slowly creep into focus upon further inspection. And for anyone who has spent lazy days aimlessly circling the mall or drifting down the coast, the album will be a familiar reminder of the days of hazy, teenaged boredom that quietly slipped away.
Recommended if you like: TDucktails, Beach Fossils, the Growlers, Pavement
By Maxwell Tani
Joe Henry
Reverie
Joe Henry, a Grammy award-winning producer, is an incredible singer and songwriter. His raw voice quavers, whispers and wails melancholy, enigmatic Dylan-esque lyrics over beautiful acoustic guitar, in songs that take traditional forms of blues and folk and subvert them with surprising musical turns.
Henry’s own talent would make this a superb record, but the rest of his band takes it beyond just that. His rhythm section keeps it loose, with jazzy acoustic bass and a drummer whose mind-blowingly versatile fills stray all over the map, but always find their pocket.
The pianist sounds like the ghost of a virtuoso who has returned to an old ballroom to play his eerie, ethereal streams of classical, jazz and bar music in a free form not quite pinned down by reality.
In fact, the whole album feels this way, indeed a reverie of music that will haunt your dreams but brighten your darkest nightmares.
Recommended if you like: Bob Dylan, Yellow House-era Grizzly Bear, Dan Auerbach’s voice
By Jesse Paller
Casiokids
Aabengaringen Over Aaskammen
Despite its misleadingly art-rock-sounding title, Casiotone’s third full-length is a relatively simple cocktail of finely tuned Norwegian indie-pop hits entirely appropriate for their puppet-infused live show.
Bubbly, arpeggiated synth hooks take center-stage, carefully layered against Ketil Kinden’s ethereal vocals, tight harmonies and muted electric guitar.
Each song is filled to the brim with hummable melodies and danceable beats, keeping the record’s relatively brief length exciting and fresh.
“Aabenbarigen’s” major weakness occurs when the band tries its hand at hand-clap funk, leaving a bad aftertaste reminiscent of Foster the People’s cheesier tracks.
The record also lacks a firm sonic cohesiveness, as the band loosely frolics in the broad genre of ‘indie-pop,’ some tracks taking cues from Hot Chip, others borrowing ideas from Au Revoire Simone.
Despite these minor hiccups, Casiokids sparse, yet precise arrangements demonstrate the strength of their writing, as they successfully weave dreamlike keys, head-bobbing beats and falsetto-ed harmonies effortlessly and professionally.
Recommended if you like: Generationals, Royksopp, Norway (the country)
By Maxwell Tani
Dreamers of the Ghetto
Enemy/Lover
A simple glance at Dreamers of the Ghetto’s bio on their website tells you everything you need to know about this band: “Our dreams run wild and unchecked … With romance in our hearts and fire in our guts, we incite love and violence in listeners far and wide.”
This band is unabashed in their attempts to make massive anthems, and if subtlety is your thing, you probably will snicker at this album. There are church organs, big sentiments and even bigger vocals.
Lead singer Luke Jones’ voice requires these songs to sound as large as they are, and when he harmonizes with fellow member Lauren Jones, it results in the soulful, large-yet-intimate sound that U2 and Arcade Fire have brought to massive crowds around the world.
Dreamers of the Ghetto might just be getting started, but don’t be surprised if they wind up filling amphitheaters in a few years.
Recommended if you like: Arcade Fire, The National
By Cameron Meindl
Class Actress
Rapprocher
It’s understandable why Class Actress continues to garner hesitant critical praise for their unique take on 1980s dance-pop.
The band’s second full release is a pop album at its core, with just enough offbeat production flourishes to still be ‘authentic.’
Soaring dance-hall synths, throbbing basslines and pulsing drum-machine beats are calmed by Elizabeth Harper’s chillingly smooth vocals, which float above the bombastic ’80s dance-scape.
It’s almost too perfect, with Harper’s guilty-crush-inducing hooks bouncing off the group’s precise instrumentation and cold, flawless production. And while the songs don’t really deviate from the group’s verse-chorus-verse barrage of vocal cooing, funky bass and vintage synth, it’s an irresistibly fun record that is almost certainly already on repeat at Urban Outfitters or your hip little sister’s Spotify account.
Recommended if you like: Depeche Mode, New Order, Austra, Neon Indian
By Maxwell Tani
